Automatic flap opener



1957 D. J. NASH 2,804,113

AUTOMATIC FLAP OPENER Filed Dec. 2, 1955 TIP ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 2,804,113 AUTOMATIC FLAP OPENER Daniel J. Nash, Jersey City, N. 1., assignor to Nash Inc, Jersey City, N. 3., a corporation of New .ierse Application December 2, 1955, Serial No. 550,523 12 Claims. (Cl. ISO-10) The present invention relates generally to automatic flap or closure opening means, and in particular it relates to an improved means for automatically opening billfolds, wallets and other receptacles of the same or a dissimilar nature provided with a flap-type closure.

The conventional wallets, billfolds and the like generally consist of a pair of superimposed panels secured along three of their edges to define a longitudinally extending pocket for the reception of bills, papers and other articles. The pocket is foldable along an intermediate transverse line defining a hinge which divides the Wallet into a pair of flaps or wings which may be swung to an open end-to-end position or to an overlapping closed position. The inner faces of the flaps or wings may carry additional pockets, and additional flaps may be secured along the hinge line in the well known fashion.

The conventional wallets and billfolds described above possess a major drawback in that they are often awkward to handle and manipulate. It being necessary to open the flaps of the wallet manually in order to gain access to the contents thereof, the user of the wallet quite frequently finds himself in a difficult position.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic fiap or closure opening means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for automatically opening a pair of hinged flaps or Wings to an extended end-to-end position.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for automatically opening wallets, billfolds and other similar receptacles.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic wallet opening means characterized by its simplicity, ruggedness and inexpensiveness.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a wallet embodying the present invention, in closed position;

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken along line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan exploded view of the form of automatic opening means embodying the present invention as in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a top plan exploded View of a modified form of said automatic opening means also according to and embodying the present invention; and

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a further modified form of improved automatic opening means constructed according to and embodying the present invention.

In a broad sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of automatic closure opening means including a body member, a closure flap hinged to said body member and a longitudinally extending helical spring having one end thereof secured to said body member and another end thereof secured to said flap, said spring normally urging said flap to an open position.

2,804,113 Patented Aug. 27, 1957 As applied to wallets or like receptacles, the present invention contemplates the provision of a front flap, a rear flap disposed in confronting relationship to said front flap when said wallet is in a closed condition, and a pair of laterally spaced helical springs, an opposite end of each of said springs engaging a corresponding front flap and rear flap, said springs normally extending in a linear longitudinal direction when in relaxed condition and assuming an arcuate stressed configuration of approximately when said wallet is in closed position.

Reference is now made to the drawing and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 thereof, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the numeral 10 generally designates a wallet including a front flap 12 and a rear flap 14 defining a body portion and a cover portion respectively having their adjacent lateral edges connected by a flexible strip 16 defining a hinge. Front and rear flaps 12 and 14 and binge 16 are preferably formed of a single elongated panel of such material as leather, plastic, fabric or any other suitable preferably flexible material normally employed in the production of wallets, billfolds and the like.

In order to effect the automatic opening of the wallet 10 by the spreading of the flaps 12 and 14 into a flat, end-to-end relationship, there is provided a pair of laterally spaced helical springs 18, 18a disposed along the inner face of the hinge portion 16. Helical springs 18, 18a, when in a normally relaxed condition, extend in a longitudinal linear direction. When front and rear flaps 12 and 14 are brought into confronting relationship to close the wallet, springs 18, 18a assume the arcuate stressed configuration illustrated in the drawing, Figure 2.

Helical springs 18, 18a, as seen best in Figure 3, are provided, at one end thereof, with a wire leg 20, 20a respectively, formed integral with the wire forming the springs 18, 18a and extending along the inner face of rear flap 14 and front flap 12 towards substantially the free lateral edges of said flaps. The free ends of the legs 20, 20a are connected by cross arms 22, 22a adjacent to the lateral edges of flaps 12, 14 and disposed along the under face thereof, to reversely extended legs 24, 24a parallel to an aligned front with legs 20, 20a but slightly longer than said legs 20, 20a. The free ends 26, 26a of legs 24, 24a extend into and engage the corresponding opposite ends of the springs 18, 18a. Thus, the legs 20, 22 and 24 and 20a, 22a, 24a follow respectively the movements of the rear and front flaps 12 and 14, and conversely front and rear flaps 12, 14 follow the movement of the legs. Upon closing the wallet by bringing the flaps 12 and 14 into confronting relationship, the legs 20, 24 and 20a, 24a stress springs 18, 18a into the illustrated arcuate configuration, and upon release of the flaps 12, 14, the springs 18, 18a are permitted to return to the relaxed linear positions swinging the legs 20, 24 and 20a, 24a and the flaps 12 and 14 to their open, endto-end relationship.

A lining 28, preferably formed of a single panel of a suitable material such as fabric, plastic or the like, is superimposed upon the inner faces of the front .and rear flaps 12 and 14 and the hinge portion 16 enclosing between the confronting faces of the lining 28 and the flaps 12 and 14 and hinge portion 16 and springs 18, the legs 24 24, Zita, 24a and the cross arms 22, 22a. The lining 28 may be suitably secured to the confronting face of the flaps and hinge portion by means of stitching, adhesive or in any other suitable manner. The peripheral edges of the flaps 12 and 14 and the hinge portion 16 are folded inwardly to provide a hem or finished edge 31).

A plurality of flaps and pockets 32 of conventional construction are afliXed to the wallet in the usual fashion. In order to lock the wallet in the closed position illustrated in the drawing, there is provided a closure flap 'fastener 36, the springs 18, 18a will urge flaps -12 and 14 to their extended position, thereby'efiecting the automatic opening of the wallet and permitting free access to pockets 32 and the interior of the wallet or billfold.

In Figure 4 of the drawing, there is illustrated another 'type of improved flap opening arrangement which may be substituted for that described in connection with the above embodiment of the present invention. In accordance with the present embodiment, there is provided a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending helical springs 50 and a pair of identical U-shaped wire members 52 having parallel legs 54 connected by cross arms 56. In assembly, the springs 50 are disposed in the hinge portion of the wallet and the U-shaped members along the inner faces of the front and rear flaps thereof. The free ends 55 of the legs 54 extend into and register 'with corresponding ends of the helical springs 50. In all other respects, the operation and disposition of the opening means illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 are similar to that employed in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing.

In Figure of the drawing, the automatic flap opening mechanism is formed of a single length of wire and includes a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending helical spring portions 70, corresponding ends of which are connected by a U-shaped member 72 formed integral with the wire forming the spring 70. The opposite ends of the spring 70 are each provided with an integrally formed wire'L-shaped member 73, the end legs 74 of which are secured, as by welding or otherwise, in aligned end-to-end relationship.

While there have been described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The automatically operable opening means being applicable to articles other than wallets or billfolds, the present invention is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims.

I claim:

l. An improved wallet or the like comprising a front flap, a rear flap disposed in confronting relationship to said front flap when said wallet is in a closed condition and an intermediately disposed hinge portion, a pair of laterally spaced helical springs located at and substantially abutting said hinge portion, opposed laterally spaced arms tangentially extending from the ends of said springs and engaging a corresponding front flap and rear flap, said springs and said opposed arms normally extending in a linear longitudinal direction at right angles to the hinge line when in relaxed condition, and said springs assuming an arcuate stressed configuration of approximately 180 when said wallet is in closed condition.

2. An improved wallet or the like in accordance with claim 1, including cross arms joining the ends of the later-ally spaced arms which ends are remote from said helical springs.

3. An improved wallet or the like in accordance with claim 1, wherein said arms and said springs are formed of a single length of wire.

4. An improved wallet or the like in accordance with claim 1, wherein said arms are disposed along the confronting faces of said flaps and including a lining member covering said arms and superimposed upon said flap confronting faces.

5. An improved wallet or the like in accordance with claim 1, including a panel of flexible material connecting adjacent ends of said flaps to define the hinge, said helical springs being disposed along the inner face of said panel.

6. An improved wallet or the like in accordance with claim 1, including a U-shaped wire member extending from an opposite end of each of said helical springs and integral therewith, the legs of said U-shaped member defining said arms, each of said U-shaped members having an end portion of a free arm registering with and engaging an opposite helical spring.

7. An article of the character described comprising a body portion and a cover portion disposed in confronting relationship to said body when said article is in closed condition, and an intermediately disposed hinge portion, a. pair of laterally spaced helical springs at and disposed against said hinge portion, the opposite ends of each of said springs engaging the body and cover portions adjacent the hinge portion, said springs normally extending in a linear longitudinal direction at right angles to the hinge line when in relaxed condition and assuming an arcuate stressed configuration when said article is in closed condition, means connecting the ends of the springs on the body, and means connecting the ends of the springs on the cover, and a lining member covering said springs and the connecting means.

8. An article as described in claim 7, in which the springs are disposed adjacent the top and bottom of the hinge portion, and the means connecting the ends thereof are disposed adjacent the peripheral edges of the body portion and the cover portion.

9. An article as described in claim 8, in which the body and cover portions are of limp, non-self-sustaining material, and the means connecting the ends of the springs are of self-sustaining material whereby to maintain the body and cover portions in extended condition.

10. An article as described in claim 8, in which the springs and connecting means are formed of a single length of wire.

11. An article as described in claim 8, in which each spring includes a U-shaped wire member extending from an opposite end of each of said helical springs and integral therewith, each of said U-shaped members having an end portion of a free arm registering with and engaging an opposite helical spring.

12. An improved receptacle comprising a body member, a closure fiap, a hinge member connecting said closure flap to said body member, a pair of laterally spaced helical springs located at and substantially abutting said hinge member, opposite laterally spaced arms extending tangentially from the ends of said springs and respectively engaging said body member and said closure flap, said springs and said opposite arms normally extending in a linear direction when said closure flap is in an open condition and said springs assuming an arcuate stressed configuration when said closure flap is in a closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,627,864 Persons May 10, 1927 2,484,742 Roehrl Oct. 11, 1949 2,504,574 Orlin Apr. 18, 1950 2,564,570 Hatfield Aug. 14, 1951 2,586,584 Wagner Feb. 19, 1952 

